A Year of Seattle Parks

3001 E. Madison

2012-02-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

Location: Madison Park
Address: 3001 E. Madison St.
Acreage: 0.34

3001 E. Madison is a very precise address for a park that is hard to find because it is easily missed. You won't find more than a long strip of grass and a careful row of trees, although they are are probably beautiful when full of leaves in the fall.

But, this is a great area for biking, running and walking between some wonderful parks. As you leave one of my favorite parks and cross E. Madison St., continue on Lake Washington Blvd. as it winds down toward the water to Lakeview Park. From there, you can continue to Denny Blaine Park or Viretta Park.

Around every corner is a great public space to explore in this part of Seattle.

#324 (Visited 1/25/12)

Puget Ridge Playground

2012-01-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 21st Ave. S.W. and Croft Pl. S.W.
Acreage: 0.1

Close to South Seattle Community College is the sweetest neighborhood park built with toddlers and preschoolers in mind.

The narrow strip of park squeezes in a little wooden play structure, a couple of stand-alone toys, sandbox, lawn space, picnic tables and benches. Two additional touches are a whimsical gate that welcomes visitors into the fully fenced park and a pair of red mailboxes for playing mailman.

#324 (Visited 1/24/12)

West Seattle Stadium

2012-01-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 4432 35th Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 11.6

Another unusual park in the Seattle Parks Department line up is West Seattle Stadium, a football field and running track with a section of bleachers that dates back to the 1930s.

Today it was a snowy, almost deserted scene. But, the stadium gets lots of use from multiple public and private schools in the area during warmer months. It's also open during the day to walkers and runners who use the track for exercise.

#323 (Visited 1/24/12)

Freeway Park

2012-01-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Location: Downtown Seattle
Address: 700 Seneca St.
Acreage: 5.2

It's a cool urban maze that many longtime Seattleites have never set foot in. Freeway Park, which crosses Interstate 5 and spills out of the back of the Convention Center, is worth exploring. This fun park is a great place to walk your dog, sneak in an outdoor lunch break or walk off some office stress. Check out the map in the main plaza to get a sense of the scope of the park and all its nooks and crannies. You can even take your work outside to one of the benches, since this is one of the city's wifi-enabled parks.

Completed in the 1970s, Freeway Park has been cleaned up and revamped a few times over the past decade or so. Now with better lighting, trimmer shrubs and new benches, the park feels more welcoming and gets more use.

In addition to several outdoor entrances, you can access the park from the fourth floor of the Convention Center. This is a great way for wheelchair and stroller visitors to enjoy this interesting public space.

#322 (Visited 12/8/11)

Plymouth Pillars Park

2011-12-29T09:07:00.000-08:00

Location: Downtown Seattle
Address: Boren Ave. and Pike St.
Acreage: 0.6

There aren't many places to take your dog to run around off-leash in downtown Seattle, so I bet dog owners were happy when a dog park was added as part of a renovation of Plymouth Pillars Park a few years ago.

Sitting between downtown and Capitol Hill, the park also has benches that are a convenient place to eat lunch and take in views of the city. The huge pillars are limestone columns that originally marked the entrance to Plymouth Congregational Church, which was demolished in 1966 to create I-5.

#321 (Visited 12/8/11)

Westlake Square

2011-12-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

Location: Downtown Seattle
Address: 1900 Westlake Ave.
Acreage: 0.01

Now, we aren't talking about Westlake Park, perhaps Seattle's most heavily trafficked park that sits in front of Westlake Mall and hosts lots of holiday activities and its fair share of protesters.

No, this is that funny triangle of space a block or so north that you've probably passed without a second glance. But, did you know that this park used to be the site of an underground "comfort station"? These were restrooms with shoeshine stations and benches that were built in a few locations in the city in the early 1900s. This park's was filled in and closed in the '60s.

Today you'll only find some benches and planters, but I like to imagine what used to go on below our feet.

#320 (Visited 12/8/11)

McGraw Square

2011-12-22T08:09:00.000-08:00

Location: Downtown Seattle
Address: Stewart St. and Westlake Ave. N.
Acreage: 0.01

It's hard to believe that Seattle once had only four police officers. John H. McGraw was one of them back in the late 1800s, and McGraw Square in the middle of downtown Seattle is named after him. McGraw went on to be the second governor of Washington State in 1893.

This park, which sits just behind Westlake Mall, was redone this year and is now a pleasant pedestrian passage. The South Lake Union Streetcar begins its journey from this spot, and its location near the hub of much downtown activity makes this a busy park.

Slow down and you'll find an imposing statue of Mr. McGraw who looks like he's ready to hop on the streetcar and take a ride. Read more about his adventures as a police officer in Seattle. You'll come to appreciate that he definitely earned that statue.

#319 (Visited 12/8/11)

Spruce Street Mini Park

2011-12-20T07:09:00.000-08:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 160 21st Ave.
Acreage: 0.7

I love Seattle's neighborhood "mini parks." They seem to get plenty of use and usually boast of not much more than a few benches, some tall trees and a play area.

Unfortunately, it's a miserable drizzly day when I visited Spruce Street Mini Park, but I imagine that with a bit fairer weather this Central Area park must get lots of visits.

In late fall, this park is gorgeous with its huge trees shedding leaves all over the grass and sidewalk, inviting little hands to scoop them up and toss them into the air.

#318 (Visited 11/16/11)

Ferdinand Street Boat Launch

2011-12-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: S. Ferdinand St. and Lake Washington Blvd. S.
Acreage: ~2.5

Another one of my favorite spots along Lake Washington Boulevard is this boat launch. Although it's a great place to set off on your kayak, it's also a scenic picnic spot with picnic tables and a pleasant gently sloped lawn.

Pull your car or bike off the road and park in the small, almost hidden parking area. This is a great spot to linger and enjoy views of Seward Park and the Cascade Mountains.

#317 (Visited 11/7/11)

Lakewood Moorage

2011-12-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 4400 Lake Washington Blvd. S.
Acreage: ~ 1.0

If you've walked along Lake Washington Boulevard, you've probably passed Lakewood Moorage thinking it's a private dock. It's actually officially city property, although slips are rented through a private company, and public access is limited to certain hours and days of the week.

But, this is a nice place to pause on a walk because the views are lovely. On the day I visited lily pads dotted the water, and I could take in a beautiful late fall scene with changing leaves on the trees that line the boulevard south of this park.

#316 (Visited 11/7/11)

Columbia Park

2011-12-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 4721 Rainier Ave. S.
Acreage: 2.1

This sweet park is like a welcome mat for the quaint Columbia City neighborhood. It greets visitors on the corner of Rainier Ave. S. and S. Alaska St. and invites a stroll with a curving path that leads through a nicely trimmed lawn emptying you out on the other side.

This is a great neighborhood for strolling, both the cute shops and the many close by parks, including Rainier Playfield and Genesee Park.

Here's a little fun trivia: our state was almost named Columbia State but Washington (honoring George Washington) won out by a vote in Congress. This park is named after the Columbia City neighborhood, which was named after the river, which was named after... that explorer Chris Columbus, of course.

#315 (Visited 11/7/11)

Rainier Playfield

2011-12-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 3700 S. Alaska St.
Acreage: 9.5

With nearly every possible amenity neatly packed into its almost 10 acres, Rainier Playfield is one of a handful of what I like to think of as neighborhood hubs. These parks offer people living nearby a central place to find every type of recreational activity: Community center, tennis courts, football, baseball and softball fields, play areas and open lawns for informal games.

This large neighborhood hub sits conveniently adjacent to Rainier Ave. in Columbia City and stretches several blocks east, meeting Genesee Park through some nice walking paths.

#314 (Visited 11/7/11)

Lakewood Playground

2011-12-05T12:23:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 5013 S. Angeline St.
Acreage: 2.0

This sweet little park is tucked away in an area of beautiful old homes that sits between Columbia City and Lake Washington. There's not a whole lot to it, but you will find a large play field and a good playground for kids. They'll especially like the neat sandbox built into the raised structure at the northeast corner of the park.

This is a great area for walking. Lakewood Playground is a short distance away from the large Genesee Park, as well as miles of paths along Lake Washington Boulevard.

#313 (Visited 11/7/11)

Kubota Gardens

2011-11-30T14:23:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 9817 55th Ave. S.
Acreage: 34.2

November is the best time of year to visit one of Seattle's best parks: Kubota Gardens. This park is such a jewel, it has its own foundation and board of directors to protect this amazing public space.

Visit this park with time on your hands. It is best experienced by strolling the quiet paths and letting your curiosity lead you around each bend and curve where you'll find little surprises like sculptures, waterfalls and bridges. Although there are maps online and to pick up at the entrance, I think it's more fun to wander with no objective. Most of the park's gravel paths are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly, although some sections have steep inclines.

Late fall is magical at Kubota Gardens because the Japanese Maples are turning every gorgeous shade of red. On fall weekends you'll share the gardens with gaggles of amateur photographers and perhaps even a wedding party also enjoying the beautiful colors. But, even on a busy day there are peaceful corners to find solitude, and the gardens are worth a visit any time of year.

Japanese immigrant Fujitaro Kubota created this garden on private land, cultivating it slowly for years. It was even left abandoned for several years while the Kubota family was interned during World War II. Thankfully, the Kubotas returned, eventually donating it to the city in 1987. It is now a historic landmark.

Japanese garden enthusiasts may want to check out the free monthly public tours.

#312 (Visited 11/6/11)

John C. Little, Sr. Park

2011-11-21T06:23:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 6961 37th Ave. S.
Acreage: 5.8

John C. Little, Sr. Park is a long, but narrow stretch of greenspace that squeezes in several basketball courts, a spray park and a playground among tree-lined walking paths. The new playground and spray park opened in 2010 and are examples of some of the best new equipment the city is installing in our parks.

The park sits within the New Holly development, which connects this park with others nearby through walking paths and sidewalks.

Mr. Little was a parks commissioner and helped found the Central Area Youth Association.

#311 (Visited 11/6/11)

Van Asselt Playground

2011-11-15T06:15:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle

Address: S. Myrtle St. and Beacon Ave. S.
Acreage: 9.0

South Beacon Hill residents have it all in Van Asselt Playground. You'll find tennis courts, basketball courts, great playfields, summer wading pool, new playground and a beautiful community center. But, don't miss the trails on the north end of the park that connect to other neighborhood parks through residential walking paths.

Henry Van Asselt was a Dutch settler who arrived in Seattle in the 1850s. According to Wikipedia, he was the longest surviving original settler in King County (living to age 85, quite a feat in itself in that day.) The nearby Van Asselt Elementary School sits on the site of the first school in King County, which Van Asselt donated the land to establish.

#310 (Visited 11/6/11)

Puget Park, West Duwamish Greenbelt and Pigeon Point Park

2011-11-11T07:07:00.000-08:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: S.W. Dawson St. and 18th Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 158.6, 181.6 and 29.89

This trio of parks is really all part of the West Duwamish Greenbelt, the biggest greenbelt in Seattle and one that is actually fairly accessible to visitors. These parks, located in eastern West Seattle, have hiking trails hidden among the dense trees.

If you're interested in exploring the more than five miles of trails, you can find two rudimentary maps here and here. Because it is such a large area and heavily forested, it's best to hike with a buddy or dog. And, keep your eye out for wildlife, as foxes and bald eagles have apparently been spotted.

The Puget Mill Co. donated this land to the city in 1912 to form this preserved space.

#307, 308 & 309 (Visited 10/19/11)

Highland Park Playground

2011-11-07T13:12:00.000-08:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 1100 S.W. Cloverdale St.
Acreage: 6.4

A nice playground, huge lawn, playfields and tennis courts give Highland Park neighbors a place to play. This West Seattle park, which has been around since the 1920s, even has a little view of the mountains on a clear day.

Neighborhood kids are waiting anxiously for the existing wading pool that is being converted to a spray park to open in 2012.

A walking suggestion is to start at Highland Park Playground and meander a few blocks south-east to explore Westcrest Park.

#306 (Visited 10/19/11)

Pelly Place Natural Area

2011-11-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 6762 Murray Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 1.0

I usually don't write about Seattle parks designated as "natural areas" because they often aren't really accessible to visitors. But, Pelly Place Natural Area in West Seattle is one of the few with a good trail in the middle, providing a short-cut from Morgan Junction to Lowman Beach Park.

This is a great time of year to visit this lovely trail, as the leaves are starting to change on the many deciduous trees filling this gentle ravine.

If you're a dog owner and have exhausted the trails at Lincoln Park, you'll enjoy Pelly Place for a quiet alternative with your pup.

#305 (Visited 9/26/11)

Queen Anne Bowl Playfield

2011-11-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 2806 3rd Ave. W.
Acreage: 4.8

Queen Anne Bowl Playfield has one of the city's few public running tracks. It's also host to many soccer games, and today there are dozens of kids running around both on and off the field while parents watch clustered on one side.

If you're getting weary of the soccer game currently in play, check out the short hiking trails that connect to the larger David Rodgers Park. You'll find them beginning at the south-west end of the park.

#304 (Visited 9/25/11)

David Rodgers Park

2011-10-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 2800 1st Ave. W.
Acreage: 9.2

Queen Anne has a lot of parks, many of them with great views. But, I like David Rodgers Park even though it's one of the few without much of a view at all. Come to this park instead for the walking trails that begin at the more landscaped top section of the park and wind downhill through a more natural setting. There's also a play area, tennis courts and a large grass field.

David Rodgers Park melds together with the Queen Anne Bowl Playfield that you'll find at the bottom of the hill.

Rodgers was a Seattle ship builder (1864-1923), and his employees made a donation to have the park named in his honor.

#303 (Visited 9/25/11)

Mayfair Park

2011-10-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 2600 2nd Ave. N.
Acreage: 1.0

A little out of the way on the north-facing side of Queen Anne, you'll find the sweet Mayfair Park. This park sits at the end of a dead-end street and backs into a ravine, making it almost entirely shaded with tall trees.

In addition to a small play structure, don't miss the long slide built into the hillside. Kids will have a blast zooming down this steep metal chute.

You can also catch a bit of a view of north Seattle from one of the park's picnic tables or benches.

#302 (Visited 9/25/11)

Ward Springs Park

2011-10-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: Ward St. and 4th Ave. N.
Acreage: 0.34

Like this, this, this and this, Ward Springs Park is one of many parks on Queen Anne with amazing views besides the best known Kerry Park.

This park, which features west facing views of the city skyline, has benches and a small grass space for picnics with a view. Kids, of course, will shun the views for the play area.

The cute little brick building is an historic pump house that once supplied all the water for the whole Queen Anne neighborhood.

Ward Springs Park is within walking distance of most of the other view parks. If you're interested in comparing views, Kerry Park is about a half-mile to the west.

#301 (Visited 9/25/11)

Kinnear Place

2011-10-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: Queen Anne Ave. N. and W. Queen Anne Dr.
Acreage: 0.09

Definitely not to be mistaken for the wonderful Kinnear Park, Kinnear Place is bit of an anticlimactic 300th park for me.

This small strip of grass and trees hides next to curvy W. Queen Anne Dr., which makes a good starting point for a walk up to the top of Queen Anne using quiet side streets.

Or, cross the busy street and check out the much more interesting Counterbalance Park.

#300 (Visited 9/25/11)

12th West and West Howe Park

2011-10-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 12th Ave. W. and W. Howe St.
Acreage: 1.1

This park's best feature is that it provides a handy link for foot traffic between 15th Ave. W. in Interbay and upper Queen Anne. A couple of short sets of stairs bring you up through the dense vegetation to a quiet little neighborhood.

If you take the stairs too quickly, you may miss the slide and sandbox to the left. Both are a bit worn out, but
the slide may be fun for kids to check out.

A fun walk is to take W. Howe St. all the way up the hill to the large West Queen Anne Playfield close to the center of all the action on Queen Anne. The walk is about three-quarters of a mile, but you'll feel the steep incline in your legs and lungs.

#299 (Visited 9/25/11)

Thomas C. Wales Park

2011-10-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne

Address: 2401 6th Ave. N.

Acreage: 1.3

What do you do with a former gravel pit? Turn it into a park and use the gravel to make art!

Thomas C. Wales Park sits in the elbow that connects Dexter Ave. to 6th Ave. N., which gives you access to Queen Anne by skirting under Highway 99. It's easiest to arrive on foot, but there are a few parking spots on 6th Ave. N.

I immediately loved the huge gravel hoops suspended above head almost making the park feel like a science fiction movie set. Walk the little path through the park to get the best view of all of them.

The park, which opened this spring, is named after the former Assistant U.S. Attorney who was murdered in 2001. In appropriate contrast, the park is a peaceful spot worth visiting.

#298 (Visited 9/25/11)

University Lake Shore Place

2011-10-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Location: Northeast Seattle
Address: 4275 N.E. 125th St.
Acreage: 0.15

Every once in awhile there's a park that really frustrates me. This was one of those impossible to find, totally indistinct supposedly public spaces.

Finally, I looked at a city property map to locate this "park" and discovered that it is basically a corner lot abutting the Burke-Gilman Trail that is overrun with weeds.

#297 (Visited 9/23/11)

Cedar Park

2011-10-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

Location: Lake City
Address: 3737 NE 135th St.
Acreage: 2.12

This lovely park is tucked away just a couple of blocks from busy Lake City Way giving this neighborhood a much-needed green community space. With just over two acres, you can meander the paths that line the park or give the kids some room to run on the large lawn. There's also a good playground worth exploring.

You'll find a nice balance of shade and sun with many trees lining the wheelchair-accessible paths. And, if basketball is your thing, here's a court for friendly pick-up games.

#296 (Visited 9/23/11)

Lake City Mini Park

2011-10-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

Location: Lake City
Address: 12359 Lake City Way N.E.
Acreage: 0.2

Mini indeed. This tiny park doesn't have much in the way of nature, but it has one interesting non-natural feature: the tall archway that offers visitors an entry to this paved public space. Lake City Mini Park was significantly improved a few years ago to make it more usable and friendly.

Most people don't pass through the Lake City neighborhood on foot, but if you do, this would make a good stopping point. If you crave more greenery, from here Albert Davis Park is only a block or so away.

#295 (Visited 9/23/2011)

Albert Davis Park

2011-10-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

Location: Lake City
Address: 12526 27th Ave. N.E.
Acreage: 1.2

Just off a very busy intersection in the middle of the Lake City neighborhood is a quiet, green corner that gives the sense that there's more to this community than its trafficked thoroughfare.

Albert Davis Park, named after the late Lake City community leader, has a pleasant rolling lawn, several tall trees for shade and a nice playground. You can take the short paved paths through the park to access a library branch or stop to rest on a bench and enjoy this neighborhood's scene.

#294 (Visited 9/23/11)

Seola Park

2011-09-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 11399 Seola Beach Dr. S.W.
Acreage: 8.8

Look at Seola Park on a map and you're teased into thinking this is some wonderful, undiscovered waterfront park in the most southwestern corner of Seattle. So, I was disappointed to find out that while this large park appears to run all the way down to Puget Sound, there's no public access to the waterfront.

What we're left with is basically a small, flat park dotted with tall trees at the top of the hill and a big, fairly inaccessible ravine. An unfriendly sign pointing out that the beach is all private property greets you at the bottom of Seola Beach Dr.

The top section of this park does have some nice peek-a-boo views of the Sound, and it's a lovely place for a picnic in the shade on a hot day.

#293 (Visited 9/22/2011)

Morgan Junction Park

2011-09-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 6413 California Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 0.25

When the city's infamous monorail project was abandoned in 2004, West Seattleites lost the chance to have quick, fixed-rail transportation to downtown Seattle. But, well, at least they gained a new community park, right?

Morgan Junction Park, which sits in what's known as the Morgan Junction (not to be confused with the busy Alaska Junction just north), was supposed to be the site of one of the monorail stops. Part of the land was sold and part was turned into this park that was completed a couple of years ago with a lot of input from the community.

The small circular lawn is nice for kids and picnics and is surrounded by several benches. The park gets most of its use at the neighborhood's annual Morgan Junction Festival each June.

#292 (Visited 9/20/11)

Housebound With Twins

2011-08-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Location: Seattle
Address: Our House
Acreage: Limited to Backyard

An update on the Race to 300 I mentioned a few months ago...

The twins arrived, early, but healthy last month. I'm learning how this whole mom-of-three-under-three thing works and as you can imagine, I don't have it all figured out yet. So, that accounts for the silent blog for the past few weeks!

But, I'm itching to get out into the fleeting sunshine and explore some more parks, so please keep checking back. I hope to get the double Bob out very soon.

And, just for the record, I'm at 291 parks and counting...

Othello Playground

2011-08-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 4351 Othello St.
Acreage: 7.6

A group of preschoolers is sprinting at top speeds across the huge lawn at Othello Playground in South Seattle. Leaving their teachers far behind, they dash up the stairs built unevenly into the hillside. The first kid to the top is rewarded with the first trip down the long metal slide. Before he's been deposited safely back to the bottom of the hill, the next kid takes off. Then, the next and the next.

This is definitely one of the coolest park features I've seen in Seattle, and when the kids leave I climb to the top to inspect it. I'm surprised by how steep it looks and have to admit I held onto the sides until I saw that it wasn't going to shoot me down at the speed of an Olympic luge rider.

After you've had enough turns on the slide, check out the rest of the park, which includes two basketball courts, a playground and acres of open lawn for games or picnics. There are also some nice looping paths for walking or running.

#291 (Visited 6/9/11)

Northwest 60th Viewpoint

2011-08-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

Location: Northwest Seattle
Address: 6001 Seaview Ave. N.W.
Acreage: 0.5

A nice spot for a view is near the curve before Anthony's HomePort restaurant and the straightaway to Golden Gardens Park. Pull off the road and take a seat on one of the benches at this small park.

If you get bored taking in the gorgeous scenery over the water, you can turn your attention to the nearby trestle and wait for a train to roar by almost overhead.

#290 (Visited 6/1/11)

Golden Gardens Park

2011-08-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

Location: Northwest Seattle
Address: 8498 Seaview Pl. N.W.
Acreage: 87.8

Golden Gardens Park is a lot like one of my other favorite parks in Seattle, Alki Beach Park. Both have long sandy beaches, fire pits and popular barbecue spots. But, in the battle between West Seattle and Ballard, I think I'm going to have to give an edge to Golden Gardens in a very important category: Best Place to Watch a Sunset.

There is no better place to spend a summer evening in Seattle than at Golden Gardens watching the sun set over the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains. Disagree? Fine, but I say this even as a devout West Seattleite.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, we can talk about the other cool features of this park:

For kids, it's heaven on earth to dig in the sand, especially at the south end of the park where a small stream meets the Sound creating the perfect muddy conditions for small shovels. A new playground is also currently under construction to replace the small, aging one.

For pet owners, it's the two-plus-acre off-leash dog park tucked away on the other side of the pedestrian underpass.

For sweat-enthusiasts, there's beach volleyball, basketball and many walking/hiking trails.

For nature-lovers, the quiet, less-trafficked paths at the north end of the park criss-cross around preserved wetlands, great spots to look for birds, animals and sea life.

For picnickers and beach bums, I return again to this park's great appeal: the gorgeous waterfront setting where you can watch sailboats float by while roasting hot dogs at twilight around a fire pit.

What better place is there to be on a warm Seattle evening than with your feet in the Golden Gardens sand?

#289 (Visited 6/1/11)

Eddie Vine Boat Ramp

2011-08-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

Location: Northwest Seattle
Address: 8001 Seaview Ave. N.W.
Acreage: ~1.5

This busy saltwater boat ramp next to Golden Gardens Park is also a popular spot for fishing due to the breakwater from nearby Shilshole Marina. I like the long picturesque dock from which you can sometimes spot seals.

Eddie was chair of the Washington State Sportsman Council and fought for salmon protection.

#288 (Visited 6/1/11)

Greenwood Park

2011-07-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 602 N. 87th St.
Acreage: 2.22

This immaculately maintained park is hidden from its nearby streets in the Greenwood neighborhood. Follow one of the perfect curving paths to the new play structures and sand box, where kids will want to stop and play.

History buffs will like the old station stop at the north end of the park, representing a stop for electronic trolleys on the Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway in the early 1900s. This is the second time visiting parks recently when I've been despaired to learn about the cool public transportation options Seattle residents used to have that have since been torn down. Imagine taking a trolley ride to every neighborhood in the city!

You can read more about the park's rich (and troubling) history on placards at the southwest corner of the park.

A p-patch is also in the works for this much-deserving neighborhood, which has a very active group of volunteers who are obviously helping to keep this park looking so pristine.

#287 (Visited 5/27/11)

Licton Springs Park

2011-07-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 9536 Ashworth Ave. N.
Acreage: 7.6

Before any development, Licton Springs Park in the Greenwood neighborhood was an area abundant with natural mineral springs. Native Americans living nearby treasured the springs and gave them the name "Licton."

White settlers caught on and opened a spa with thermal baths here in 1934. They also bottled the water and sold it across the country. Apparently people came from miles around to soak in these therapeutic waters. Here's more information on this interesting history.

A small part of the springs is still flowing at the park today, and you can check it out by walking along the park's short trails.

Kids will like the two play structures, and adults can pull up a picnic on one of several picnic tables set under the trees.

My favorite aspect of this park are the stone tiles set into the ground that circle the play area. Take a close look, and you'll see that each unique tile gives kids instructions on how to play popular outdoor games from around the world.

In addition to American hop scotch, you can learn how to play "Hop Round" from Great Britain, "Campana" from Italy and "Ta Galagala" from Nigeria.

#287 (Visited 5/27/11)

Trolley Hill Park

2011-07-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 5th Ave. N. and Blaine St.
Acreage: 0.87

The other of my two favorite new discoveries, Trolley Hill Park sits on the eastern edge of Queen Anne Hill and feels like a secret hideaway.

It doesn't look like much from the busy street, but once you get into the park you'll be pleasantly surprised to find great views, picnic tables, a p-patch, a little play area built out of natural materials and a peaceful circle of benches, each dedicated in someone's memory.

Best of all, take the steep wooden steps down into the greenbelt and you'll find trails that connect to nearby Maclean Park.

#286 (Visited 5/25/11)

Maclean Park

2011-07-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: Taylor Ave. N. and Newton St.
Acreage: 1.02

I made a great discovery on Queen Anne recently and found two of my favorite new parks.

Maclean Park, on the eastern side of the Hill not only offers fabulous views of Lake Union and beyond, but its lovely trails connect to nearby Trolley Hill Park. These well-constructed and surprisingly wooded paths are a short, but fun urban hike.

Everyone knows the immensely popular walking/running loop around the top of Queen Anne Hill, which often makes it crowded. If you're looking for a quiet escape, check out these two parks instead.

By the way, the Macleans were one of those lucky families who moved into this neighborhood about 100 years ago and ended up significant property owners. The greenbelt where you're hiking was their backyard.

#285 (Visited 5/25/11)

Counterbalance Park: An Urban Oasis

2011-07-15T07:25:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: Queen Anne Ave. N. and Roy St.
Acreage: 0.28

No, I did not add a personal opinion to the title of this post. The park's quirky name is actually Counterbalance Park: An Urban Oasis. In 2008 the city opened this park on what used to be the site of a gas station.

The first half of the name comes from its use even before the gas station as a stop for the counterbalance trolley, which used to whisk people up and down Queen Anne Hill in the late 1800s/early 1900s. How cool would it be to have that today?

As for the second half of the name... well, I'm not sure how that slightly silly title got attached, but it is a very nice urban park. You won't find grass or a lot of densely planted trees and bushes. Visit this park to take a break from the bustle of lower Queen Anne and take a seat on one of the many benches or cool yellow chairs.

I passed this park one evening last year and was surprised to find it lit up with a rainbow of neon lights. Quite a nice sight.

#284 (Visited 5/25/11)

Spring Street Mini Park

2011-07-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: E. Spring St. and 15th Ave.
Acreage: 0.3

Spring Street Mini Park is the setting for a movie in the making by some local junior high kids on the cloudy day I visited. I watched one of them playfully boss around the main "actor," making him redo his scene more than once.

This Capitol Hill park is a great place for young kids with a nice playground geared toward their age group and a gently sloped lawn perfect for rolling. You'll also find benches and a picnic table.

#283 (Visited 5/23/11)

Seven Hills Park

2011-07-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 1514 E. Howell St.
Acreage: 0.39

Less than a year ago the Capitol Hill neighborhood got a nice new park out of what used to be a parking lot. They've managed to pack in a lot of features into this little urban spot, including a P-Patch garden, an inviting flat lawn, benches, barbecue pits and picnic tables.

The seven boulders represent the seven hills of Seattle, giving this park its name.

#282 (Visited 5/23/11)

Union Station Square

2011-06-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Location: Downtown Seattle
Address: Jackson St. and 3rd Ave. S.
Acreage: 0.04

You might think of Union Station Square (which strangely is not directly in front of Union Station) as the urban park with the weird stools.

But, next time you pass through this part of Pioneer Square, take a closer look at the "stools" for a little of Seattle's transportation history. Designed by Bill Will, this cool and informative art makes this otherwise plain park an interesting stopping point.

Then, cross the street to check out the beautiful Union Station that had its centennial celebration this year. When it was built in 1911, a building at 3rd and Jackson was torn down to reroute the streets leaving space for what is now the park with the weird stools...

#281 (Visited 5/4/11)

Blaine Place

2011-06-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: W. Olympic Pl. and 6th Ave. W.
Acreage: 0.03

Another triangle-with-a-tree-park, but Blaine Place does provide a lower access point to the wonderful Kinnear Park. Look for the trail that starts just north of the triangle.

#280 (Visited 5/3/11)

Kinnear Park

2011-06-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 899 W. Olympic Pl.
Acreage: 14.1

Lesser known than Kerry Park, but I think more interesting and with also some great views is Kinnear Park in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood.

I love the gorgeous tall trees and huge sloped lawn that would be a perfect place to lay out a picnic blanket. After your picnic, take advantage of all the different spots to take in views of Elliott Bay, downtown Seattle and the Olympic Mountains. Then, follow the trails through the the park where you'll stumble upon a play area and tennis courts.

George Kinnear arrived in Seattle in 1874 and helped develop Queen Anne Hill. This savvy guy saw the value of view property, and he held quite a large piece of this hill in his real estate holdings. Lucky for us, he was also generous. He sold 14 acres of his land for $1 to create Kinnear Park.

#279 (Visited 5/3/11)

Coe Play Park

2011-06-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 2420 7th Ave. W.
Acreage: 0.2

Coe Play Park on Seattle's Queen Anne shares a site with an elementary school. The old brick school building contrasts with the colorful new playground equipment you'll find at this park, which is small but centrally located.

#278 (Visited 5/3/11)

Soundview Terrace

2011-06-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: 2500 11th Ave. W.
Acreage: 0.3

This is one of my favorite newly discovered parks. Soundview Terrace on the western end of Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood is perched on a steep hillside. If I had been the park's engineer, I would have taken one look at the geography of the site and gotten very discouraged.

Instead, this park's builders figured out a way to create a beautifully landscaped wheelchair- and stroller-accessible park on such an impressive incline that from above you can barely see the park.

I could spend a lot of time taking in the views and peaceful setting from one of Soundview Terrace's benches, as I'm sure this park's lucky neighbors do often. Kids will enjoy the play area that also incorporates elements into the hillside. There are plenty of seating areas and picnic tables, which are accessible by neatly laid paths.

#277 (Visited 5/3/11)

Loyal Heights Playground

2011-06-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 2101 N.W. 77th St.
Acreage: 6.7

Within walking distance of Salmon Bay Park in north Ballard is Loyal Heights Playground, a large park with great football and baseball fields. The upper section of the park holds a small playground and a community center. You can also play basketball on the half-court.

The Loyal Heights neighborhood is named for the daughter of a Seattle real estate developer. The park was set aside as public space in 1942.

#276 (Visited 4/22/11)

Salmon Bay Park

2011-06-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 2001 N.W. Canoe Pl.
Acreage: 2.8

I visit a lot of mostly empty neighborhood parks during the week. So, I was pleased to find one in the north Ballard area that seemed to be full of life even on a Friday morning.

Salmon Bay Park is a busy scene on this chilly spring day with dogs and owners jogging or walking among the tall trees that make up most of this park. The wonderful old trees, curved paths and rolling lawn invite neighbors to pass through, and it seems like this park gets a lot of regular use.

The playground is also full of activity even though kids are bundled in jackets and hats. Kids will find a big play structure, swings and a large sandbox, which is the place to be seen today.

#275 (Visited 4/22/11)

6th Avenue NW Pocket Park

2011-06-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 6th Ave. N.W. and N.W. 76th St.
Acreage: 0.21

You know when you see toys strewn about a small neighborhood park that it gets good use. I was happy when I saw that at 6th Avenue NW Pocket Park in Ballard.

In addition to the evidence of children living nearby, you'll find benches, a flat lawn and a nice mix of small trees and native shrubs.

The Parks Department snatched up this land when it was no longer needed as a Seattle City Light substation. I'm sure the children in this neighborhood are very happy with the outcome.

#274 (Visited 4/22/11)

Race to 300 is on...

2011-05-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

After a year and a half of this project, I have visited 273 parks in the city of Seattle. My ultimate goal is still to visit every park in the city, but I have a new obstacle coming up shortly and so I have set a short-term goal.

Keen-eyed readers may have spotted an orange Bob stroller in some of the photos I've taken of the parks. My two-year-old son has been carted around to almost all the parks I've visited over the past months of this project.

Here's the kicker... my brood is going to grow from one to three sometime this summer. Yes, I'm expecting twins. What does this mean for my project? I'm kicking it into high gear to try to hit 300 parks before these two babies arrive. That's 27 parks in less than 10 weeks.

And then, after I figure out how to parent a toddler and twin babies simultaneously, I'll be back out with the Bob (this time a double) to finish off my dwindling list of parks.

Stay tuned... and thanks for reading.

Puget Boulevard Commons

2011-05-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 26th Ave. S.W. and S.W. Brandon St.
Acreage: 9

In 1912 the Puget Mill Company donated land to the city to create this park that helps preserve part of a precious creek in West Seattle. What this also created was a link to what's now the Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail, one of the best places to walk in West Seattle.

The trail follows more than three miles of this creek and teems with wildlife. If you're craving a quiet forest walk, you can find it without even leaving the city. Follow your route using this great map of the Legacy Trail.

#273 (Visited 4/19/11)

Greg Davis Park

2011-05-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 26th Ave. S.W. and S.W. Brandon St.
Acreage: 1.3

Greg Davis Park is one of a trio of parks I discovered today in the Delridge neighborhood of West Seattle. All three parks offer trails and connections to the Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail, a wonderful place to walk.

Follow the trail along the creek for a close-up view of one of the only streams in Seattle that isn't piped underground. If you're a bird-watcher, this is also a great park for spotting--and hearing--a variety of species. It was noisy with chirping on the trail the spring day that I visited.

These trails are dog-friendly (on a leash) and stroller-friendly. Kids will enjoy walking short distances, since there are many fun distractions to captivate.

Greg was a Delridge resident who organized clean-up projects of the creek and surrounding area before he passed away in 1993. He was instrumental in getting this park created.

#272 (Visited 4/19/11)

Cottage Grove Park

2011-05-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 5206 26th Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 1.1

The Delridge neighborhood, perhaps surprisingly, is actually one of the best places to walk in West Seattle. And, a great place to set off from is Cottage Grove Park just a couple of blocks from the busy Delridge Ave.

Cottage Grove was revamped a few years ago, and it's been carefully maintained. The plants and trees make for a beautiful backdrop and line the path that curves through the park.

The playground equipment is more interesting than the usual things kids will find, and there's a covered area with a bench for parents to watch from.

One corner of the park sports a "recovery garden," one of 10 spots in the country selected to create a peaceful place for those recovering from substance abuse or suffering from mental health issues.

This park converges on two other parks that sit across the street and kitty-corner to Cottage Grove Park. I recommend visiting both Greg Davis Park and Puget Boulevard Commons during your walk in Delridge.

#271 (Visited 4/19/11)

Delridge Playfield

2011-05-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 4458 Delridge Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 14

Cute colorful signposts point the way to various points in West Seattle and beyond at Delridge Playfield, a huge well-maintained park in the Delridge neighborhood.

The playground's colorful equipment is new and welcoming. Also welcoming for picnics or games of Frisbee are the freshly cut, gently sloping lawns. You'll find ball fields, a wading pool, basketball courts and the Delridge Community Center here, too.

This park has been around for almost 100 years and has seen some interesting uses. A little bit of trivia according to the city's site is that part of the playfield was temporarily converted into housing for mill workers during World War II. It was torn down and the community center now sits in its place.

#270 (Visited 4/19/11)

Rainbow Point

2011-05-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: N.E. 75th St. and Banner Way N.E.
Acreage: 0.79

I find this park nearly impossible to get to by car. It's on a small street just off the very busy Banner Way N.E. near Green Lake that's clogged with traffic right now due to road construction.

A better way is on foot where you'll find yourself suddenly in a surprisingly quiet and peaceful park just above I-5. A couple of benches and an open grass space are the only real features, but on a clear day you can also get a nice view of the Olympic Mountains.

#269 (Visited 4/15/11)

Banner Way Triangle

2011-05-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: Banner Way N.E. and 5th Ave. N.E.
Acreage: 0.15

A more appropriate name for this park is Banner Way Triangles because there are several of them making up this park that runs adjacent to I-5 in North Seattle.

These grass triangles are really extra land set aside for public use due to the way the streets run in this corner of Maple Leaf. They make for pleasant green space just a stone's throw from the freeway.

#268 (Visited 4/15/11)

Crescent Place

2011-05-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: N. 75th St. and Orin Ct. N.
Acreage: 0.02

A strange rusted metal sculpture sticks up between a well-trimmed circular hedge in the middle of the tiny Crescent Place near Green Lake.

It looks like it has been keeping watch over that quiet street for a very long time, but I'm actually not sure what it really is. A piece of art? A decorative weather vane? A marker for one of Seattle's smallest parks?

It's a mystery.

#267 (Visited 4/15/11)

Maple Leaf Community Garden

2011-05-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Location: Northeast Seattle
Address: 529 N.E. 103rd St.
Acreage: 0.37

This small community garden boasts the sweetest design for a p-patch I've seen in a Seattle park. The stairway, which has tile art on each step, leads up to a round storage building that looks like something playfully designed to resemble a Disney cartoon.

All the landscaping is beautifully done to welcome people up the steep hill to inspect what neighbors are growing in the p-patch gardens. It is also wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Wondering how p-patch got its name? I wrote about the original one a while back.

#266 (Visited 3/29/11)

Northgate Park

2011-05-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

Location: Northeast Seattle
Address: 10510 5th Ave. N.E.
Acreage: 1.67

Just behind Northgate Mall is a a cluster of great community resources: a library branch, a children's play area and a beautiful community center--all sparkling new.

Northgate Park encompasses the space around the buildings, but it also includes a little trail on the south end that passes near Thorton Creek. My favorite touch was the three whimsical bird houses perched high in the trees above the trail.

The new play area is perfect for younger kids and a great place for a sunny day. But, if rain stays in the forecast, take advantage of all the kids and adult activities inside the Northgate Community Center.

#265 (Visited 3/29/11)

Maple Leaf Playground

2011-04-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Location: Northeast Seattle
Address: 1020 NE 82nd St.
Acreage: 14.1

Maple Leaf Playground is another Seattle reservoir that's being covered and converted to accessible park space. This park's current features (playground, ball fields, bathrooms) will all be upgraded as part of the project.

This drawing shows how nice the new park will look and how many new features will be available for this neighborhood.

I hope the new park will still incorporate the decorative metal pergola that currently sits at one end of the park.

#264 (Visited 3/29/11)

First Hill Park

2011-04-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: University St. and Minor Ave. E.
Acreage: 0.2

This pleasant little park sits almost as a backyard garden to the Stimson-Green Mansion on First Hill. With careful landscaping and beautiful spring flowers blooming, I thought it was a wonderful escape from the intensity of this hospital corridor.

This is a great park to visit at this time of year whether you're a resident or visitor to this neighborhood.

#263 (Visited 3/23/11)

Bellevue Place

2011-04-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: Bellevue Pl. E. and Bellevue Ave. E.
Acreage: 1.4

Bellevue Place is one of my new favorite finds. This completely hidden park takes some sleuthing to locate. I drove in circles around this part of Capitol Hill until I finally turned down a very small dead-end residential street and discovered it.

The three benches are all you'll find, but it's all you need to enjoy the amazing views from this steeply sloped park that overlooks downtown Seattle, Queen Anne Hill and the Olympic Mountains beyond.

I recommend walking to this park, as the dead-end makes it difficult to get your car back out. Park nearby and look for the little green space behind an old apartment building. While you're on foot, there are other interesting parks to visit in this area, as well.

#262 (Visited 3/23/11)

Summit Place

2011-04-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: Bellevue Place E. and Belmont Ave. E.
Acreage: 0.02

A beautiful old oak (I think) tree is all you'll find at Summit Place, one of dozens of Seattle's tiny triangle parks.

But, this spot on Capitol Hill is close to many other nice parks, including Summit Slope Park that has just been completed a handful of blocks away. This is a great neighborhood for walking and park hopping.

#261 (Visited 3/23/11)

Summit Slope Park

2011-04-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 200 Summit Ave. E.
Acreage: 0.21

Volunteers were putting finishing touches on the p-patch on the sunny day I visited Summit Slope Park. The design and landscaping of this Capitol Hill park are really nicely done with a terraced lawn and careful plantings.

I was also happy to see that planners put in a skate feature and a barbecue grill.

This park was originally supposed to be named after Seattle's Italian sister city Perugia, but was renamed after recent controversy.

#260 (Visited 3/23/11)

Bitter Lake Reservoir Open Space

2011-04-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: Linden Ave. N. and N. 143rd St.
Acreage: 2.9

Much of this open space isn't accessible to the public due to the reservoir, but luckily when this park was renovated back in 2005 a nice walking trail was designed to skirt the fencing. This provides a good route for walking around this neighborhood while staying conveniently away from traffic.

The plaza at the north end shows off some fun colored designs in the cement.

#259 (Visited 3/18/11)

Bitter Lake Playfield

2011-04-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 13035 Linden Ave. N
Acreage: 7.5

The Bitter Lake Playfield definitely feels a little worn... or well-loved if you'd rather put it that way. The playground has older equipment and the ballfield has seen many years of use.

But, the special thing about this park is the short walking trail and flat lawn that provide access right up to Bitter Lake. This would be a very pleasant spot for a picnic on a sunny day.

Unfortunately, I have to also add a note of caution that although you will see ducks happily paddling around in the lake, this is not a good spot to take a dip. Take a cue from the sign that reads, "Swimmers itch may occur."

Instead, check out the activities at the Bitter Lake Community Center, which provides great free and cheap programs for all ages.

#258 (Visited 3/18/11)

Northacres Park

2011-04-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 12718 1st Ave. N.E.
Acreage: 20.7

Much of north Seattle is wooded, so it's easy to miss this big forested park just off I-5 around 130th.

But, what a great asset for this neighborhood that is lacking in large parks with good amenities. And, this one is packed with them: trails, ball fields, kids play area, wading pool and even an off-leash dog park.

The play area and wading pool look a little worn, but both are getting renovated soon. The playground will get new equipment, and a water spray park will replace the wading pool.

Enjoy a walk among the fir trees or a picnic at one of the many picnic tables.

#257 (Visited 3/18/11)

Schmitz Boulevard

2011-04-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 58th Ave. S.W. and S.W. Stevens St.
Acreage: 2.39

Schmitz Boulevard creates a connection between Schmitz Preserve Park and Alki Playground, which leads on to Alki Beach. This is a great area of Seattle for exploring several parks in one visit.

#256 (Visited 3/16/11)

Alki Playground

2011-04-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 5817 S.W. Lander St.
Acreage: 3.9

More commonly called whale tail park for the sculpture kids like to climb on at the west end of the park, Alki Playground is a popular spot in West Seattle almost year-round.

You'll find this park just a block or so from the busy Alki Ave. and the beach. Besides the tail and various play equipment, the park has tennis and basketball courts and a large field for games. Alki Elementary School and the Alki Community Center are located on the east end of the park.

One of my favorite walking routes in this area starts at Alki Beach Park and leads to Alki Playground. From there, you can follow the sidewalk (look for children's art and poetry) in the paving stones to Schmitz Boulevard.

This will take you into Schmitz Preserve Park, one of the best wooded parks in the city. Circle the trails in the dense forest before working your way back down toward the beach.

#255 (Visited 3/16/11)

Bar-S Playground

2011-04-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 6425 S.W. Admiral Way
Acreage: 4.2

Bar-S Playground is a large park that hides itself in the Alki area of West Seattle by being just barely off the busy main drag. Designed to host Little League games, it should be called Bar-S Ballfields, because there are two large ones (but no kids playground).

The large grass fields used to be a sewage plant, but were turned into a playground in the 50's with the rise of popularity in Little League.

A grant from the Mariners and Boeing is helping to completely revamp the playfields and bleachers.

#254 (Visited 3/16/11)

Fauntleroy Place

2011-03-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: Fauntleroy Way S.W. and 38th Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 0.07

Fauntleroy Place is a small, sloped triangle park in the West Seattle neighborhood. Most people don't pay it much notice, but you can pull up a seat on the park's single bench and watch traffic coming and going to the West Seattle Bridge.

The park is lined with lovely deciduous trees, which should begin budding soon.

#253 (Visited 3/15/11)

Junction Plaza Park

2011-03-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 42nd Ave. S.W. and S.W. Alaska St.
Acreage: 0.15

West Seattle has a lot of nice parks, many with views and access to the waterfront, but until last summer it didn't have a park in the heart of the "Junction." And the "Junction" is very important to the West Seattlelites.

So, they put their heads and resources together and turned an empty lot into a small, but carefully designed park. The cozy, accessible space will host neighborhood events like the annual Christmas Tree Lighting and West Seattle Street Fair. At the park's inaugural Tree Lighting last year, the emcee acknowledged that the Christmas Tree is still a little on the skimpy side at less than 15 feet.

But, this community is looking forward to many future Tree Lightings as the tree grows into a neighborhood landmark.

#252 (Visited 3/15/11)

Myrtle Reservoir Park

2011-03-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: S.W. Myrtle St. and 35th Ave. S.W.
Acreage: 3.5

Throughout Seattle, nearly every neighborhood has a monstrous above-ground water reservoir. A cool development by the Parks Department is the trend of moving these reservoirs underground, and thereby opening up large spaces as usable park space.

West Seattle just gained such a park at Myrtle Reservoir Park.

I visited on a cold, but sunny day when a dusting of snow was still on the ground. The cold windy conditions made for a short visit, but the park looked beautiful and the view of downtown Seattle was lovely.

Some parts of the park are still under construction and the newly planted areas are fragile, but you can enjoy the walking paths, benches and great kids play area. This park is also a potential future site for a skate park.

The two remaining water towers make this park easy to spot and remind us that five million gallons of water are just underfoot.

#251 (Visited 2/25/11)

Nora's Woods

2011-03-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 720 29th Ave.
Acreage: 0.35

Just about the size of a large residential lot, Nora's Woods is a secret wooded park near the Madrona neighborhood. Nora Wood and her husband Fran lived in Madrona and owned this undeveloped lot. Years later, community residents helped preserve it as green space and turn it into a showcase for native plants.

A few gentle paths wind through the park, which sits on a hillside on a corner lot. A nice touch is the careful placement of placards identifying some of the plant species.

#250 (Visited 2/11/11)

Leschi-Lake Dell Natural Area

2011-03-12T15:07:00.000-08:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 3525 E Terrace St.
Acreage: 3.23

I almost decided not to visit this mouthful of a park, thinking it would be an inaccessible ravine not really intended for visitors. So, I was pretty surprised when I detoured from my walk to give it a shot and found a small, but wonderful park with one of the best views of Lake Washington from this part of the city.

The Leschi-Lake Dell Natural Area is on such a quiet residential street, I wonder how many people have ever visited it. It has been very carefully maintained, however, and I was even greeted by a Parks worker who was picking up trash and clearing overgrown brush.

Although I had a heavy stroller with me, I was tempted to take one of the steep staircases on either side of the park down to the streets below, which would let you out near Madrona Park on the waterfront. Next time...

#249 (Visited 2/11/11)

Peppi's Playground

2011-03-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 3233 E. Spruce St.
Acreage: 2.3

This park has been around for several decades, but I was pleased to see that the playground structure at Peppi's Playground appeared to be very new. This is a great park for young kids, especially in summer when the wading pool is open.

The park has a large grass area and many tall trees, so it is also lovely for picnics or games of Frisbee.

Sadly, the park is named after an eight-year-old boy who was killed in a bicycle/car accident in 1971. Happily, the park (and the playground of Leschi Elementary next door) are frequently filled with the joyful sounds of kids playing.

#248 (Visited 2/11/11)

Frink Park

2011-03-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 398 Lake Washington Blvd. S.
Acreage: 17.2

This large park is often mistaken as the upper part of Leschi Park, since the parks' wooded areas run into each other.

But, Frink Park is its own, and a great way to explore the two parks is to begin at the top of Frink Park near 31st Ave. S. and check out the trail map before choosing your route down into the park. From Frink, work your way toward Leschi using the map and you'll eventually end up at the waterfront. (For a better map in color visit this site and click on "trail map" on the right side.)

The nicely maintained trails have slivers of a view of Lake Washington through the dense trees. As most of the trees are deciduous, this would be a great place for a fall hike when the leaves are changing colors.

The land for Frink Park was donated by John Frink, a Washington State Senator, in 1907. Here's a cool picture of what the park looked like in 1911.

#247 (Visited 2/11/11)

Kilbourne Park

2011-03-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: California Ave. S.W. and S.W. Barton St.
Acreage: 0.66

Kilbourne Park is not the most usable or accessible park for humans, but it's an important piece of green space for fish and other wildlife as it connects the larger Fauntleroy Park with Fauntleroy Creek Ravine and finally the Puget Sound protecting Fauntleroy Creek.

Mr. Kilbourne was a dentist who established the Washington Dental Association in the late 1800s and a prominent local philanthropist. The city turned the land, which is adjacent to a former elementary school, into a park in the 1950s in his honor.

#246 (Visited 1/28/11)

Fauntleroy Creek Ravine

2011-02-28T15:08:00.000-08:00

Location: West Seattle
Address: 9102 Fauntleroy Way S.W.
Acreage: 0.19

I visited two lesser-known West Seattle parks today within walking distance of each other. Fauntleroy Creek Ravine, which is more accessible than its name suggests, is tucked away just above the Fauntleroy ferry dock.

Enter the park through a walking path that runs north-south above Fauntleroy Way S.W. This is a pleasant place to stop and watch the ferries or enjoy the view.

The creek starts up in Fauntleroy Park and flows under two major roads to let out in the Puget Sound. After improvements were made to the culvert two decades ago, fish have apparently been returning to the creek. Neighbors and school kids get together every fall to see how many Coho salmon have made the trek back.

#245 (Visited 1/28/11)

Sunnyside Ave. N. Boat Ramp

2011-02-26T14:00:00.000-08:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 2301 N.E. Northlake Way
Acreage: 0.54

You'll often spot a strange white vehicle entering and exiting Lake Union at the Sunnyside Ave. N. Boat Ramp just east of Gas Works Park. Ride the Ducks, the popular tourist attraction that every Seattle resident seems to have found themselves on at some point, launches their amphibious leg of the journey at this spot.

It's also a convenient place to launch your own motorized boat or a muscle-powered boat.

#244 (Visited 1/14/11)

Gas Works Park

2011-02-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 2101 N. Northlake Way
Acreage: 19.1

I chose a day with the worst weather to visit one of the city's best parks. At least I had it mostly to myself, which is quite a contrast to a sunny summer day. Not to mention the type of crowd you'll find here on any holiday involving fireworks.

Seattle has many incredible parks, but Gas Works Park is not like any of them. This is creative city planning at its best. The city converted the land around an old gas plant into wonderful urban parkland. A lot of people were unhappy that parts of the plant remain on the site, but I think it's kind of cool to remember its history. The plant operated for the first 50 years of the last century before it was closed down. The park's design is by Richard Haag.

Due to its tall hill and windy conditions, Gas Works Park is one of the best places in the city to fly kites, and on a warm day you can almost always see a few colorful kites high in the sky above the park.

It's also a nice place for wedding photos, dog walking, sunset picnics and view-capturing photography. Kids love the covered play area that's also originally part of the gas plant.

The negative environmental effects of the park include hazardous substances in the lake sediment immediately off shore, so this isn't a good place for swimming.

But, the views of Lake Union and its many houseboats, seaplanes and kayaks will keep you plenty occupied... and perhaps, if you're like me, entranced.

#243 (Visited 1/14/11)

Wallingford Steps

2011-02-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 3300 Wallingford Ave. N.
Acreage: 0.2

When a steep hillside dense with blackberries was developed into a staircase about 10 years ago, walkers and runners got a convenient shortcut between Wallingford Ave. and Gas Works Park. This also makes it much easier for swarms of people to get in and out of the popular Gas Works Park on event days.

The colorful, circular mosaic was done by artists Benson Shaw and Clark Weigman.

#242 (Visited 1/14/11)

Corliss Place & Keystone Place

2011-02-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

Location: North Seattle
Address: 50th St. and Keystone Pl. N. and 57th St. and Keystone Pl. N.
Acreage: 0.15 and 0.22

Bored with the tired, crowded Green Lake loop? Here's another walking option just a few blocks away that doesn't have the lake views, but it passes through one of north Seattle's cutest neighborhoods.

Start at Meridian Playground off 50th St. in Wallingford. (Good playground, nice picnicking spots.) Cross the street (at the crosswalk, please) and look for the little triangle of grass and trees. That's the somewhat unremarkable Corliss Place. (Corliss P. Stone was Seattle's second mayor.)

Don't despair or wish you'd kept with your Green Lake routine, just continue northwest along Keystone Pl. N. This very walkable neighborhood has beautiful craftsman homes and nice tree-lined streets.

When you reach 56th St., you're in Tangletown, a quaint little cluster of restaurants and coffee shops in the middle of the residential area. Great place to stop for a coffee or donut.

Continue one block further north, and you'll arrive at Keystone Place. Okay, also not remarkable, but it was the journey not the destination, right?

From here, you could go three more blocks northwest to Green Lake for that lake view. Or, you could turn around and explore this neighborhood's other friendly streets.

#240 & 241 (Visited 1/11/11)

Louisa Boren Park & Lookout

2011-02-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 15th Ave. E. and E. Olin Pl.
Acreage: 7.2

Seattle pioneer Louisa Boren Denny got her own park in 1913 when a section of the larger Interlaken Park was renamed in her honor. You can access her park through a narrow trail shooting off from the main Interlaken Dr. E.

Or, even better is to start on 15th Ave. E. and enjoy the view from the top of this park. You'll see why this is a popular place for summer wedding ceremonies. A cool sculpture by artist Lee Kelly was added in 1975.

From here, you can take the wooded trails down through the park to meet up with Interlaken Park.

Speaking of weddings... want to know a little more about Ms. Denny? She married her brother-in-law, David Denny, in 1853. Their wedding ceremony is said to be the first non-Indian wedding in Seattle. Denny also has a park (Seattle's oldest) named after him.

#239 (Visited 1/7/11)

Interlaken Park

2011-01-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

Location: Central Seattle
Address: 2451 Delmar Dr. E.
Acreage: 51.7

If you've run the post-Thanksgiving marathon or half-marathon in Seattle, you've probably cursed Interlaken Park and its incredibly challenging hill.

I suggest you return on a non-race day to see what more relaxing features this incredible forested park has to offer. First off, if you like to hike with your dog, this is the park for you. The winding hiking trails are fun to explore on foot or on a mountain bike. You'll also inevitably run into a lot of runners as they just can't seem to stay away from these hills, even when they're not being timed.

Interlaken Park is among Seattle's oldest, and Interlaken Boulevard actually used to be a main buggy path that connected Capitol Hill to the lake. People also used to ride their funny-looking bikes with the tall wheel here, before switching to the more modern (and certainly more comfortable) style.

This change in how bicycles were built actually helped kick-off the bike craze in Seattle. Something like one-fifth of all residents owned a bike at that time. You can read more interesting history on the city's site.

And, if you're really not the exercise-loving type, another way to enjoy this park is by taking a peaceful, Sunday drive along this beautiful and historic boulevard.

#238 (Visited 1/7/11)

Belvoir Place

2011-01-20T14:25:00.000-08:00

Location: Northeast Seattle
Address: 3659 42nd Ave. N.E.
Acreage: 0.4

I've always been interested in that little bit of land that sticks out into Lake Washington, best seen from the 520 Bridge right before you reach the University.

I expected to see amazing waterfront homes (check) and some nice views of the water and mountains (check), but I had no idea Laurelhurstians have been slyly keeping Belvoir Place from the rest of us.

Okay, a lot of lucky homeowners in this area have their own waterfront to enjoy, but for the rest of us, Belvoir Place is a heavenly slice of waterfront property open to all. It's easy to miss, because the property is narrow near the road, with a dirt path opening up onto a wide lawn that slopes gently down to the water.

The dock is in desperate need of a rebuild, but that didn't stop us from tiptoeing out to get a better view. This park must be a wonderful spot for a lot of summer activities: swimming, kayaking, canoeing and even fishing.

#237 (Visited 12/17/10)

Laurelhurst Triangle

2011-01-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

Location: Northeast Seattle
Address: 46th Ave. N.E. and E. Laurelhurst Dr. N.E.
Acreage: 0.02

From Laurelhurst Playfield, you'll find an interesting walking route through the beautiful Laurelhurst neighborhood in northeast Seattle.

Follow Laurelhurst Dr. N.E. south, and you'll probably pass this park without a second thought. The only thing to note in this traffic circle park is the enormous tree, perhaps an oak or elm, that towers over the street.

Continue your walk by following this road as it loops down to the water (and the most impressive homes of this prestigious area) and takes you north again on the other side of the narrow peninsula.

#236 (Visited 12/17/10)

Laurelhurst Playfield

2011-01-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

Location: Northeast Seattle
Address: 4544 N.E. 41st St.
Acreage: 13.5

It's a chilly day, but the skies are clear and the sun's rays feel heavenly after what seems like weeks of heavy rains. So, it's a great day for a walk around hilly Laurelhurst where views of the water and mountains seem to be around every corner.

A good starting point for a walk in this elegant neighborhood is at the Laurelhurst Playfield, a large park I'd never visited before. The playground has plenty of equipment to occupy kids from toddler to elementary school. There are also large ball fields and nice tennis courts. A couple of dogs were trading balls that their owners were tossing across the big grass lawns.

The community center has been beautifully renovated blending brick with more modern materials. One of the nicest facilities the Parks Department owns.

From here, there are lots of nice routes through Laurelhurst, including an almost unknown waterfront park...

#235 (Visited 12/17/10)

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park

2011-01-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Location: South Seattle
Address: 2200 Martin Luther King Way S.
Acreage: 4.3

What great timing that I get to write about this park the week leading up to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.

This four-plus-acre park in South Seattle was built in the early 1990's on a sloped site. I like the view from the top, which lets you take in the large sculpture jutting out of a fountain sitting about half-way down the hill. You'll also have a nice view of Beacon Hill and the Rainier Valley.

The impressive 30-foot-tall sculpture was designed by the late Robert Kelly to inspire images of Martin Luther King's "I've been to the mountain top" speech. Get close to read the words in the tiles near the fountain.

Martin Luther King, Jr. made only one visit to Seattle. It was Nov. 8, 1961 and included speeches at the University of Washington and Garfield High School. Can you imagine being a student in class at Garfield that day and witnessing that speech?

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park would be a lovely place to spend a few quiet moments reflecting next Monday.

#234 (Visited 12/10/10)

College Street Park

2011-01-10T16:02:00.000-08:00

Location: Southeast Seattle
Address: 2900 S. College St.
Acreage: 0.42

Dubbed a "pocket park" by the city, this simple park lends a little more greenspace to this corner of south-central Seattle. You'll find a few benches and a flat grassy area for games or picnics.

#233 (Visited 12/10/10)

Trudy Sanders Triangle

2011-01-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

Location: Southeast Seattle
Address: S. Ridgeway Pl. and Mount Rainier Dr. S.
Acreage: 0.3

This park is so new the city hasn't put up a page on their web site yet. You'll find it at the north end of Hunter Boulevard in the Mount Baker neighborhood.

The day I passed by, a class of kids from the local church school were using it as a playground. They dashed up onto the flat grass and headed straight for the tall evergreen trees that had nice hiding places between the trunks.

Trudy was a Seattle Parks Commissioner who lived across the street. We have Trudy partly to thank for helping Seattle buy and preserve a little spot called Discovery Park.

#232 (Visited 12/10/10)

Horton Hill Corridor

2011-01-01T15:33:00.000-08:00

Location: Southeast Seattle
Address: 36th Ave. S. and S. Horton St.
Acreage: 0.3

Horton Hill Corridor is a staircase built in the 1970s that provides access between the top of Mount Baker hill and the lower, western end of the neighborhood.

If you're on foot (and without a stroller or wheelchair), there are lots of fun, sometimes hidden staircases to explore in Mount Baker. Take these stairs up to 36th Ave. S. and then cross Hunter Boulevard to seek out more stairs on the eastern side of the hill. If you find one, it'll be a shortcut to accessing Lake Washington.

#231 (Visited 12/10/10)

Hunter Boulevard

2010-12-27T15:17:00.000-08:00

Location: Southeast Seattle
Address: Hunter Boulevard S. from S. Hanford St. to S. Spokane St.
Acreage: 1.2

It's pretty tough to avoid getting house-envy when you walk along Hunter Boulevard in the Mount Baker neighborhood. The old, elegant homes that line this beautiful boulevard rival those found on Capitol Hill and Queen Anne Hill. And, then to top it off, this wonderful stretch of tree-lined greenspace acts as a large front lawn for these coveted residences.

This is one of my favorite new neighborhoods for strolling. Traffic is very light, the streets are pleasant for walking and the homes (many of which have views of Lake Washington) are fun to admire.

From Hunter Boulevard you can head north to Mount Baker Park or southeast down the hill to Genesee Park.

#230 (Visited 12/10/10)

Sierra Place & Landing Parkway

2010-12-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

Location: Southeast Seattle
Address: S. Horton St. & Sierra Dr. S. to Lake Washington Blvd.
Acreage: 0.37

Sierra Place, located near Lakewood Triangle in the Mount Baker neighborhood, is another spot for views during a walk of this scenic Seattle neighborhood. After pausing on this grassy park, follow S. Horton St. down toward the water and you'll be on the "parkway" that makes up the second of these two parks. It's a convenient route down to access the long waterfront park that is Lake Washington Boulevard.

For an ambitious walking loop, take Lake Washington Boulevard north until you reach Mount Baker Park. Climb up through the park along the wooded trail and you'll arrive back in this neighborhood's tiny commercial district.

#228 & #229 (Visited 12/10/10)

Lakewood Triangle

2010-12-20T14:57:00.000-08:00

Location: Southeast Seattle
Address: Cascadia Ave. S and Lakewood Ave. S
Acreage: 0.12

This is a great place to pause on a walk of the Mount Baker neighborhood to get a view of Lake Washington. Take a seat on one of the wooden benches that line this park's small pathway and catch your breath before taking on the steep hill that leads from Lake Washington Boulevard to the top of the hill.

#227 (Visited 12/10/10)

Mount Claire Park

2010-12-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

Location: Southeast Seattle
Address: Mt. Claire Dr. S. and Shoreland Dr. S.
Acreage: 1.05

I discovered a cool, very walkable corner of the Mount Baker neighborhood today.

Begin at Mount Claire Park, which is basically a wooded hillside that I passed as I strolled the beautiful streets of this part of south Seattle. This park isn't worth stopping for, but it does take you along a quiet street that gives views of Lake Washington.

From here, continue your walk south along Cascadia Ave. S. to reach more parks, more great views and more incredible old homes.

#226 (Visited 12/10/10)

Queen Anne Boulevard

2010-12-15T13:50:00.000-08:00

Location: Queen Anne
Address: Circles Queen Anne Hill
Acreage: 31.2

One of my favorite walking routes in Seattle is circling the top of the "hill" on Queen Anne Boulevard. The quiet residential streets have nice sidewalks making it pretty easy with strollers or even wheelchairs.

Most people flock to the western part of the loop, where you can catch beautiful views of the Puget Sound and Olympics. But, don't neglect the rest of this route where you'll see some of Seattle's oldest and most majestic homes.

Another fun way to explore this area is to let yourself get sidetracked and veer off the boulevard to take one of the almost hidden public staircases. You'll find dozens of sets of these steps allowing you to climb up and down sections of the hill for different views.

By the way, the all-powerful Seattle Parks Board initially rejected the idea for this boulevard in 1906. Luckily, they relented after pressure from community members. Learn more via the Queen Anne Historical Society.

Here's a pretty good map of the route.

#225 (Visited 11/12/10)